The issue of potholes and uneven road surfaces are back in the news, causing distress to motorists.
It is understandable why the public wants potholes and uneven roads to be resurfaced immediately as it involves public safety.
It is common knowledge that potholes and uneven roads have caused many road accidents, particularly involving motorcyclists.
Whenever a pothole is discovered, the public would usually point their fingers at City Hall to fix the problem although the latter may not be responsible for it.
One of the main reason roads become damaged is because utility companies like Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Telekom Malaysia and Syabas fail to carry out proper road
resurfacing works after doing upgrading and repair works on infrastructure equipment beneath the roads.
The contractors involved do not resurface the roads in accordance to City Hall’s specifications.
City Hall requires utility companies to deposit RM10,000 and RM270 per metre of road affected by their contractor’s roadworks.
The maximum fine imposed against errant utility companies and contractors is RM1,000, which is a pittance.
Therefore, City Hall is urged to impose a temporary ban on approving permits to carry out utility works, pending a review on the local council’s regulations in the interest of public safety.
As potholes can also be caused by bad weather, I urge City Hall to beef up its mobile squads to detect potholes and repair the damage quickly instead of waiting for the public to lodge a complaint.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye,
Kuala Lumpur